Does Spain rival Italy?
May 31st, 2004, 07:40 PM
#22
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Jun 3rd, 2004, 03:36 PM
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My husband has two favorite places after many years of travel: Italy and Barcelona -
I think the key to enjoying Spain is to do your History homework. Italy is so seductive one can be lazy. But you won't enjoy Spain w/o understanding its history. (Except for Barcelona!) In any event... put the Costa del Sol at the bottom of your must see list. Granada, Seville, Segovia, Ronda, Salamanca, Toledo ...
I still remember driving thru wild, rocky landscape to Ronda.. and seeing a man on horseback just above the road. (he didn't look like a casual rider)
I think the key to enjoying Spain is to do your History homework. Italy is so seductive one can be lazy. But you won't enjoy Spain w/o understanding its history. (Except for Barcelona!) In any event... put the Costa del Sol at the bottom of your must see list. Granada, Seville, Segovia, Ronda, Salamanca, Toledo ...
I still remember driving thru wild, rocky landscape to Ronda.. and seeing a man on horseback just above the road. (he didn't look like a casual rider)
Dec 1st, 2005, 02:25 PM
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Spain does infact rival italy. Here are the ranks for the most visited countries on earth:
#1. France
#2. USA
#3. SPAIN
#4. ITALY
#5. ....
#6. and the list goes on
Spain is much more humble than italy and the people are more open.
Go to spain. You will not be disappointed
#1. France
#2. USA
#3. SPAIN
#4. ITALY
#5. ....
#6. and the list goes on
Spain is much more humble than italy and the people are more open.
Go to spain. You will not be disappointed
Dec 1st, 2005, 02:45 PM
#27
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Just my two cents: There is fantastic, wonderful, muy sabroso food to be found in every region of Spain. Yes, there is a lot of ham and a lot of seafood (but probably the best ham and seafood in the world!!.) There are also many, many other things to eat...far too many to list here.
Dec 1st, 2005, 04:32 PM
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I love both and I really don't think this is about "rivalvy". Near Madrid are several awesome places to visit including Toledo, Segovia, Avila, Salamanca. Near Barcelona are also several awesome places to visit, but since I haven't been to them yet and are planning to next trip, will let others comment here. And I haven't been to "green Spain" yet either, but plan to. But there are places in Italy I haven't been to yet that I plan to visit. There're both fantastic countries. Oh, and for me, you can add France to this list.
Dec 1st, 2005, 04:48 PM
#29
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I guess I'm in the minority here too, but I also greatly prefer Spain. The Spansih mastery of the art of living, the festiveness of the towns and cities, Flamenco, sangria - there's no place like it. I'm not really into small towns, tho, so I'm probably not the best arbiter here, but give me Barcelona, Madrid and Seville over Rome, Milan and Florence any day.
Dec 1st, 2005, 06:11 PM
#30
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I love Spain. I think I prefer it to Italy, but they are so different, and each is wonderful in its own way that it's hard to say which I truly like more.
I attended a little language school in Madrid for a month in 2000, and I remember walking down Calle Serrano in Madrid and thinking how much at home I felt there--odd, considering that I'm a nordic type who lives in the Inland Northwest.
For me it's a toss-up which Spanish city I like best. It's hard to beat a town that has orange trees lining the street (Sevilla), but then Barcelona has such wonderful architecture.
I attended a little language school in Madrid for a month in 2000, and I remember walking down Calle Serrano in Madrid and thinking how much at home I felt there--odd, considering that I'm a nordic type who lives in the Inland Northwest.
For me it's a toss-up which Spanish city I like best. It's hard to beat a town that has orange trees lining the street (Sevilla), but then Barcelona has such wonderful architecture.
Dec 1st, 2005, 09:46 PM
#31
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This question is like that peennial question that you often get from daft non-travellers when you've just returned from a big trip. You know the question I mean: "Which country did you like best?"
There's just no answer to it. Every country (or region within a country) has its own unique qualities. Italy, Spain, France, Germany, UK - they are all great, but for different reasons. I couldn't begin to prefer one over another. I enjoy each equally but differently.
However a slight rephrasing of the question to: "Which country do you most want to go to" is easier to handle, because the answer has as much to do with where YOU're at as to do with the qualities of the country. For example I might say "Croatia" because I've never been there; and I might say "France" because I have been there and loved it so much I want to see more.
I guess all of this means there's no absolute answer - just go with an open mind and enjoy it.
There's just no answer to it. Every country (or region within a country) has its own unique qualities. Italy, Spain, France, Germany, UK - they are all great, but for different reasons. I couldn't begin to prefer one over another. I enjoy each equally but differently.
However a slight rephrasing of the question to: "Which country do you most want to go to" is easier to handle, because the answer has as much to do with where YOU're at as to do with the qualities of the country. For example I might say "Croatia" because I've never been there; and I might say "France" because I have been there and loved it so much I want to see more.
I guess all of this means there's no absolute answer - just go with an open mind and enjoy it.
Dec 2nd, 2005, 02:14 AM
#33
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Ricky said
"Spain does infact rival italy. Here are the ranks for the most visited countries on earth:
#1. France
#2. USA
#3. SPAIN
#4. ITALY
#5. ....
#6. and the list goes on"
These figuresd may be a little misleading, as the fast majority of tourists to Spain are there to lie on a beach!
"Spain does infact rival italy. Here are the ranks for the most visited countries on earth:
#1. France
#2. USA
#3. SPAIN
#4. ITALY
#5. ....
#6. and the list goes on"
These figuresd may be a little misleading, as the fast majority of tourists to Spain are there to lie on a beach!
Dec 2nd, 2005, 03:07 AM
#34
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I'm Spanish, live in Madrid and on Monday I'm leaving to Italy. I LOVE both countries. Both are well worth visiting. If I have to say something Italy is like a lady: soft and sweet. Spain is like a "caballero" rude but gentle. I will not want to die without seeing both.
History makes both countries very different. Italy's history is more linear. Spain has always been a crossroad of peoples; so you will find here more variety of cultures. Think let's say in Toledo. A city that has been capital of three different cultures (Jewish, Arab and Catholic).
I will give my spanish advice, assuming you have some days to waste.
If you drive from Barcelona to Madrid, maybe you can consider expending one or two days in the Green spain: The basque country is one of my favourite places. San Sebastian is a very beautiful city and Bilbao has the Guggenheim museum. But it's the Basque landscape, green and rude) and its gastronomy what makes it a must.
Other possibility if you like history is to sleep one night in an old castle of the Paradores network (www.parador.es) . On the route from Barcelona to madrid you have two of those castles : Alcañiz and Siguenza.
Once you are in Madrid, dont miss El Prado Museum. As side trips i will give you two:
- Toledo: 70 kms from Madrid. A beutiful historic medieval town, once the most important city of spain. You can reach it by high speed train from madrid in half an hour.
-Cordoba and/or Seville- There's a high speed train from Madrid that takes two hours to arrive to Cordoba, capital of the medieval arab Spain; and three to arrive to Seville, the capital of Andalucia and one of the most tipical Spanish city.
Well, I guess that's already too long.
Hope you enjoy Spain as much as I enjoy Italyˇˇˇ
History makes both countries very different. Italy's history is more linear. Spain has always been a crossroad of peoples; so you will find here more variety of cultures. Think let's say in Toledo. A city that has been capital of three different cultures (Jewish, Arab and Catholic).
I will give my spanish advice, assuming you have some days to waste.
If you drive from Barcelona to Madrid, maybe you can consider expending one or two days in the Green spain: The basque country is one of my favourite places. San Sebastian is a very beautiful city and Bilbao has the Guggenheim museum. But it's the Basque landscape, green and rude) and its gastronomy what makes it a must.
Other possibility if you like history is to sleep one night in an old castle of the Paradores network (www.parador.es) . On the route from Barcelona to madrid you have two of those castles : Alcañiz and Siguenza.
Once you are in Madrid, dont miss El Prado Museum. As side trips i will give you two:
- Toledo: 70 kms from Madrid. A beutiful historic medieval town, once the most important city of spain. You can reach it by high speed train from madrid in half an hour.
-Cordoba and/or Seville- There's a high speed train from Madrid that takes two hours to arrive to Cordoba, capital of the medieval arab Spain; and three to arrive to Seville, the capital of Andalucia and one of the most tipical Spanish city.
Well, I guess that's already too long.
Hope you enjoy Spain as much as I enjoy Italyˇˇˇ
Dec 2nd, 2005, 03:37 AM
#35
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Another vote for Spain, as long as the areas ruined by the Brits are missed. And that's easy.
Am amazed at the posting which describes Spain as arid, rocky, dry etc, about as silly as saying Australia is all desert. Yes, the central mesa is dry, but what about Picos di Europa; still skiing there in May, Galicia, Basque Country where the mountain foothills were lush and green covered in wildflowers. And snow capped Andorra, OK, its a principality but you drive straight in from Spain. Have driven length and breadth of both countries and have to say the Spanish people (as were those in Portugal) to be the kindest, proudest, most helpful and honest people we encountered in Europe, with a sense of humour to boot. As someone above said, its an easy country to drive, if you look like getting lost someone will stop to help.
Spanish cuisine varies, as does Italian, from area to area, there's a lot more than ham and seafood, although thats not a bad thing either.
Am amazed at the posting which describes Spain as arid, rocky, dry etc, about as silly as saying Australia is all desert. Yes, the central mesa is dry, but what about Picos di Europa; still skiing there in May, Galicia, Basque Country where the mountain foothills were lush and green covered in wildflowers. And snow capped Andorra, OK, its a principality but you drive straight in from Spain. Have driven length and breadth of both countries and have to say the Spanish people (as were those in Portugal) to be the kindest, proudest, most helpful and honest people we encountered in Europe, with a sense of humour to boot. As someone above said, its an easy country to drive, if you look like getting lost someone will stop to help.
Spanish cuisine varies, as does Italian, from area to area, there's a lot more than ham and seafood, although thats not a bad thing either.
Dec 2nd, 2005, 08:39 AM
#36
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Both countries ahve their ups and downs. Both countries are beutifull in different ways, you just have keep your mind open and not choose sides between them, and specially take time to learn about them both and explore both countries. Like he said, italy is like
a gentle lady and spain is more like rugged gentleman. And both have equally beutiful and historic areas. But unfortunately, spain isn't as widely known as italy or france, although it should be.
Spain is more for those people looking for a warm exciting vacation. Italy is more for like a honeymoon or a romantic scene (and i'm not saying that spain isn't romantic).
But what I really hate, is the way that brits are just ruining some of the best beach areas. They move to spain and build wannabe mediterranean resorts. These areas are called tourist traps. But apart from the brit areas, spain is all good.
a gentle lady and spain is more like rugged gentleman. And both have equally beutiful and historic areas. But unfortunately, spain isn't as widely known as italy or france, although it should be.
Spain is more for those people looking for a warm exciting vacation. Italy is more for like a honeymoon or a romantic scene (and i'm not saying that spain isn't romantic).
But what I really hate, is the way that brits are just ruining some of the best beach areas. They move to spain and build wannabe mediterranean resorts. These areas are called tourist traps. But apart from the brit areas, spain is all good.
Dec 2nd, 2005, 11:43 AM
#37
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Been to both, and like both a lot, including the people. I think if you plan out the trip and know what you're looking for, you can't go wrong with either.
BTW, does anyone else think Thingorjus needs therapy?
BTW, does anyone else think Thingorjus needs therapy?
Dec 2nd, 2005, 12:41 PM
#39
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Why can't people just try to get along? Why is there such rivalry within europe? ALl european countries have something very special about them. Just because Italy was the birthplace of the Roman empire doesn't mean it's got more or longer history.
If you don't like Spain for some reason, then good for you. But don't go to forums and just put it down just because.
If you don't like Spain for some reason, then good for you. But don't go to forums and just put it down just because.
Dec 2nd, 2005, 01:21 PM
#40
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Ricky, Ricky: If you mean me, you've got it all wrong. I was referring to Thingorjus. I was not putting down Spain.
Are you employed by the Spanish Tourist Board, or is this just a personal hobby? I see you've dug up another ancient thread in order to make your points about Spain...
Are you employed by the Spanish Tourist Board, or is this just a personal hobby? I see you've dug up another ancient thread in order to make your points about Spain...
